In the field of display manufacturing, one way of mask evaporation, such as fine metal mask (FMM) evaporation, is to vapor-deposit an OLED material onto a Low Temperature Poly-silicon (LTPS) substrate by a predetermined process utilizing a pattern of the FMM, thereby forming red, green and blue devices.
After the production of the fine metal mask is completed, the FMM needs to be bonded (e.g., welded) to a frame (e.g., a metal frame) together at a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a mask-frame assembly (e.g., a film tensioner), so as to form an assembly consisting of the mask and the frame, hereinafter referred to as a Mask Frame Assembly (MFA).
As the FMM is bonded to the frame, it is usually necessary to exert outward pulling forces between two opposite sides of the FMM so that the FMM is in a stretched state. In order to prevent the FMM shrinking and deforming inwardly after the FMM is bonded with the frame, it is desirable to apply a horizontal inward pushing force (resisting force) in advance to two sides of the frame corresponding to the two opposite sides of the FMM to which the pulling forces are applied when the frame is placed on the stage of the manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the mask frame assembly prior to bonding the FMM with the frame. After the FMM is bonded, the horizontal inward pushing forces will be removed, and when the pushing force is removed, the frame will generate an outward tension to compensate for the shrinking force of the FMM to prevent the MFA from shrinking and deforming.
In the prior art, in operation, the frame is usually placed on a stage first, and the frame is preliminarily applied horizontal inward pushing forces on the stage. After the pre-applied pushing forces on the frame are removed, the frame, due to its own restoring force, will have tension effect on the mask. However, after the frame is pressed inwardly by the pushing forces, there is a phenomenon of uneven force on the mask during the bonding of the mask to the frame.